Iran will present regional security plan at UNGA: Rouhani

ANI23 Sep 2019, 14:18 GMT+10

Iran [Tehran], Sept 23 (ANI): Warning foreign forces to 'stay away' from the region, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that he will present a security plan for the Gulf at the United Nations General Assembly this week.

While marking the anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980 on Sunday, Rouhani, in a televised speech, said Iran extended its hand of friendship and brotherhood towards countries in the region willing to cooperate in the Tehran-led effort to oversee security in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz - a vital gateway for the global oil industry, reported Al Jazeera.

The President, who will travel to New York later this week to attend the annual meet of world leaders at the UN, went on to warn against the presence of foreign troops in the Gulf.

"Foreign forces can cause problems and insecurity for our people and for our region," he said.

His comments came after the United States decided to send troops to the region recently.

Tensions in the Gulf region have heightened following attacks on two major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia last week.

Though Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, the United States and Saudi Arabia have accused Iran of being behind the attacks.

However, Iran has denied any involvement in the incident.

A major Saudi Arabian oil processing facility and oilfield was drone-attacked on September 14 causing a huge fire at the site.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition against Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen for more than four years in support of the exiled internationally-recognised government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. (ANI)